• Welcome to Diocese on the Niger - Lux Fiat

Nnobi Archdeaconry

History of Nnobi Archdeaconry

Nnobi Archdeaconry was created in 1992 from Onitsha Arcdeaconry by the Most Revd Dr. J.A. Onyemelukwe of blessed memory.

The Most Revd Dr. J.A. Onyemelukwe inaugurated the Archdeaconry on 19th January 1992 at St. Simon’s Church, Nnobi being the headquarter. This was received with joy and excitement by the towns and parishes that make up the Archdeaconry namely; St. Simon’s Parish Nnobi, St. Thomas Parish Oraukwu, St. Paul’s Parish Alor, St. Mary’s Parish Awka-Etiti, St. Stephen’s Parish Nnokwa, St. Paul’s Parish Ebenesi Nnobi, St. Luke’s Parish Uke, Immanuel Church Parish Ideani, St. Andrew’s Parish Awuda Nnobi.

Other small congregations that were springing up from these parishes are; St. Andrew’s Church, Alor, St. Peter’s Church Nnobi, All Souls Church Oraukwu, St. Mary’s Church Uke, Immanuel Church Alor, and St. Mark’s Church Alor.

Evangelism has been the watchword of the parishes in the Archdeaconry. Every Parish sustained itself by embarking on one evangelistic outreach or another in and outside the Archdeaconry. New grounds are explored to the glory of God. Almost all the organizations are functional, applying themselves to the purpose for which they were set namely; AYF, EFAC, Girls Guild, ABF, ACM, ASF, Council of Knights and Ladies, MCF, Laity Council, Boys Brigade and Girls Brigade.

The completion and dedication of the ultra modern Archdeacon’s lodge to replace the old one was done on 8th June 2001 by the Bishop emeritus, Rt. Revd Ken S.E. Okeke.

The women have set the pace in a number of ways. It is on record that it was the Archdeaconry Women Ministry that was the first of all other Archdeaconries to acquire evangelism bus after the completion of a storey building for lock up stores. In 2001, they built a post primary school, Trinity Model Secondary School, Nnobi that was handed over to the Archdeaconry. They have been recording successes in Archdeaconry Women Conferences with an enviable position in the women’s ministries of the Diocese.

The Women Activities for the year includes the following: Convention, Widows and lest previliged empowerment, Girls and Women’s Guild Week.

Alor Archdeaconry was created from Nnobi Arcdeaconry on December 2013 and was inaugurated on 13th April 2014 by His Lordship, The Rt. Revd Dr. Owen C. Nwokolo.

Currently, Nnobi Archdeaconry is made up of 8 substantive Parishes. It has a total of (15) fifteen Churches with workers, 13 Clergymen, 12 Church teacher/Catechists and 8 Account officers.

The Church Parish stations are:

  1. St. Simon’s Parish Nnobi,
  2. St. Mary’s Parish Awka-Etiti,
  3. St. Thomas Parish Oraukwu,
  4. St. Paul’s Parish Ebenesi-Nnobi,
  5. St. Stephen’s Parish, Nnokwa,
  6. St. Andrew’s Parish Awuda-Nnobi,
  7. All Souls Parish Oraukwu,
  8. St. Christopher’s Parish Nnobi.

Other Churches are:

  1. St. Peter’s Church Nnobi,
  2. Our Saviours Church Oraukwu,
  3. Christ the King Church Nnokwa,
  4. St. Faith Church Awka-Etiti,
  5. All Saints Church Ifite-Nnobi,
  6. Church of Pentecost Awka-Etiti, and
  7. St. John’s Church Nnobi.

The Nnobi Archdeaconry MCF is building an office block for Nnobi Archdeaconry which is at the foundation stage.

It is worthy to observe that Nnobi Archdeaconry is blessed with men and women of worth in various professions and vocations namely; Academicians, Captains of Industries, Politicians, Company Executives, Business Moguls, Construction Engineers, Civil Servants, Clergymen of note among whom are our present dynamic Bishop on the Niger, Rt. Revd Dr. Owen Nwokolo, Rt. Revd Raph Okafor, Bishop of Ihiala, Bishop Emeritus of Isikwuato/Umunneochi, Rt. Revd Sam Chukwuka, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese on the Niger, Rt. Revd Ken Sandy Edozie Okeke.

To the glory of God and extension of Christ’s kingdom, the following Archdeacons have successfully piloted the affairs of the Archdeaconry within these twenty three years (23 years) of its inauguration.

  • Ven P.N. Ukachukwu (Late) & Mrs. J.C. Ukachukwu (Rtd.)        1992–1998 (Pioneer Archdeacon).
  • Ven A.I. Ibe & Mrs Sylvia U. Ibeh (Rtd.)                                         1999–2000
  • Ven Obi Ubaka & Mrs Amaka Ubaka                                             2001-2005
  • Ven Okey Ukpeke & Mrs Chinelo Ukpeke                                     2006-March2007
  • Ven Joseph Nweke & Mrs Virginia Nweke                                    2007-2008
  • Ven R.U.C. Obiekwe & Mrs Ify Obiekwe                                        2008-2011
  • Ven Angus I. Umeh & Mrs Flora Umeh                                         2012 till date

Some remarkable events in the archdeaconry from 1992 – 2015

St. Simon’s Parish Nnobi:

  • Inauguration of Nnobi Archdeaconry on 19th January 1992.
  • 1st Session of the 22nd Synod of the Diocese on the Niger was hosted in 1992.
  • Dedication of the ultra modern Church building and Church hall on 22nd August 1999.
  • Centenary celebration on 5th October 2008
  • Dedication of St. Christopher’s Church Nnobi on 23rd Nov. 2008.
  • Inauguration of St. Christopher’s Parish, induction and institution of Revd Christian C. Mozie as the pioneer Vicar was held on 27th June 2010.
  • Diocese on the Niger Women’s Conference was held on July 2011.
  • Dedication of St. Peter’s Church Nnobi was held on 3rd September 2011.
  • Induction and institution of Ven Angus & Mrs Flora Umeh on 1st April 2012.
  • Nnobi Archdeaconry Women’s Conference was held on April 2014.
  • Foundation stone laying of St. Peter’s ultra modern Parsonage building was held on 2nd January 2015.

St. Mary’s Parish Awka-Etiti:

  • Dedication of St. Mary’s ultra modern Church building with underground Synod hall on 22nd December 1995.
  • St. Faith was planted in 1996.
  • Hosting of the Diocese on the Niger Synod in 1996.
  • Centenary Celebration was held in 2004.
  • Diocesan Synod was held in 2006
  • Planting of the Church of Pentecost in 2007.
  • Dedication of the new Vicarage on 7th June 2013.
  • Foundation stone laying of the new Parsonage building at St. Faith’s Church on 3rd August 2013.

St. Thomas Parish Oraukwu:

  • Foundation stone laying of the new Church building on 27th December 1993.
  • Dedication of the new Church building on 26th December 1999.
  • Dedication of Church Hall on 18th December 2010.
  • Foundation stone laying of the new Vicarage on 26th October 2012.
  • New Vicarage dedication on 26th May 2013.
  • Hosting of the 1st Session of the 29th Synod of the Diocese on the Niger on 30th May to 2nd June 2013.
  • Archdeaconry Women’s Conference on 17th to 19th April 2015.

St. Paul’s Parish Ebenesi-Nnobi:

  • Inauguration of St. Paul’s Church second district statues was held on 7th February 1993.
  • Dedication of ultra modern new Church building and Parsonage on 14th February 1999.
  • Dedication of All Saints Ifite-Nnobi on 31st December 2012.
  • Planting of St. John’s Church Nnobi on 14th April 2013.
  • Centenary celebration was held on 21st April 2014.
  • Establishment of Secondary School in 2014

St. Stephen’s Parish Nnokwa:

  • Foundation stone laying of new Church building in 2003.
  • Dedication of the new Church building in 2009.
  • Centenary celebration was held on 28th September 2014 with the dedication of the new Vicarage, Borehole, foundation stone laying of St. Stephen’s Secondary School.

St. Andrew’s Parish Nnobi:

  • Foundation stone laying of the ultra modern Church building in 1995.
  • Dedication of the new Church building on 24th April 2000.
  • Dedication of new Parsonage in 2012.

All Souls Parish Oraukwu:

  • Inauguration of All Souls Parish was held on May 2010 and dedication of renovated Parsonage.
  • On May 31st 2014, Bishop on the Niger Rt. Revd Dr. Owen Nwokolo performed the turning of soil for the building of Bishop Lasbery International School adjacent to All Souls Church premises.

Signed:

Ven Chris Amaku

Archdeacon